Historic State Park

Paynes Creek Historic State Park

Hardee County, FloridaAbout 399 acresEstablished 1978
Status
Status not posted
Entrance fee
Statewide rule — see below
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
Yes
Official site
floridastateparks.org(863) 375-4717

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Covering about 399 acres, Paynes Creek Historic State Park lies in Hardee County, in Bowling Green.

Visitors come for historic sites, canoeing and kayaking, biking, wildlife watching, and fishing. On the water side, there is a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are campsites (tent sites).

Fees and passes

Varies by park (mostly per vehicle; some per person/pedestrian/cyclist; some free).

Statewide fee rule from Florida's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.

Reservations

Day use
No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
Booking system
Florida State Parks Reservation System (UseDirect / Tyler 'RDR' platform)

Check availability and book

We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.

Things to do

HikingBikingWildlife viewing and birdingCampingCanoeing and kayakingFishingHistoric sites and toursPicnicking

Trails

TrailLengthDifficultyNotes
Peace River Trail0.74 mi—HikingNatural surface
Burnt Store Trail1.09 mi—HikingNatural surface
Mary Jane Trail #40.97 mi—HikingNatural surface
Historic Trail0.88 mi—HikingNatural surface
Flatwoods Trail0.26 mi—HikingNatural surface
Azalea Trail0.27 mi—HikingNatural surface
Paynes Creek Historic State Park Connector Trail0.16 mi—HikingNatural surface
Boggy Bottom0.06 mi—HikingNatural surface
Monument Trail0.09 mi—HikingNatural surface
Trail descriptions from the park

Peace River Trail (Hiking) — 0.74 mi, Natural

Burnt Store Trail (Hiking) — 1.09 mi, Natural

Mary Jane Trail #4 (Hiking) — 0.97 mi, Natural

Historic Trail (Hiking) — 0.88 mi, Natural

Flatwoods Trail (Hiking) — 0.26 mi, Natural

Azalea Trail (Hiking) — 0.27 mi, Natural

Paynes Creek Historic State Park Connector Trail (Hiking) — 0.16 mi, Natural

Boggy Bottom (Hiking) — 0.06 mi, Natural

Monument Trail (Hiking) — 0.09 mi, Natural

Boating and paddling

Canoe/Kayak Launch; Canoeing/Kakaying

Fishing

Fishing

A state fishing license is usually required.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Picnic areas
  • Picnic shelters
  • Playground
  • Visitor center
  • Nature center or museum
  • Park or camp store
  • Parking

Water

  • Boat ramp

Camping

  • Tent camping

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Getting there

Address
888 Lake Branch Road
Bowling Green, FL 33834
Nearest town
Bowling Green
Coordinates
27.6261, -81.8087
Phone
(863) 375-4717

Entrances

  • Main Entrance

Google Maps directionsApple Maps

Nearby state parks

Highlands Hammock State Park
20.1 mi southeast (straight line)
Alafia River State Park
23.1 mi northwest (straight line)
Wingate Creek State Park
23.8 mi southwest (straight line)
South Fork State Park
25.5 mi west (straight line)
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
31.2 mi northeast (straight line)
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub Preserve State Park
32.8 mi southeast (straight line)
Lake Manatee State Park
34.6 mi west (straight line)
Little Manatee River State Park
34.7 mi west (straight line)

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

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